Algae are a diverse group of microorganisms that include species that inhabit marine, freshwater and terrestrial niches. It is estimated that 30-50% of the net photosynthetic productivity on plant earth is contributed by phytoplankton including algae. Algae may also be employed for the production of biofuels, and can be grown in poor quality water and under a large variety of environmental conditions (see, e.g., Singh et al., Bioresource Technology, 2011, 102, 26-34 and Hu et al., The Plant Journal, 2008, 54, 621-639). Additionally, during photosynthesis algae fix CO2 into biomass thus addressing concerns about the generation of carbon emissions.